On June 11 and 12, the WE GO COOP project organized its second in-person thematic seminar, hosted by the project’s lead partner, ANATOLIKI S.A., in Thessaloniki at the premises of the Alexandria Innovation Zone. The seminar focused on issues concerning Wetland Contracts in the Mediterranean, Communities of Practice and the challenges they face.
The first day of the meeting, June 11, began with an introductory session featuring welcome speeches, an introduction and overview of the WE GO COOP project, a presentation of the platform to be used throughout the project and a review of Wetland Contracts in the Mediterranean. The following session addressed the dialogue processes within collaborative networks for wetland governance and the inherent challenges. During this session, presentations were delivered by representatives of organizations and institutional bodies such as the Euro-MED Natural Heritage Mission, the Natural Environment & Climate change Agency (NECCA) and the Greek Biotope/Wetland Centre of the National Natural History Museum Goulandris. In the third session, the dialogue on the Community of Practice for Wetland Contracts continued, featuring good practices from Greece (rice cultivation in the Axios Delta), Spain (Andalusia) and Italy (Tiber River Contract in Rome).
The second day of the meeting, June 12, started with the first session providing updates and information related initially to the Mediterranean Community of Practice for Wetland Contracts and then to the Policy Paper that will be produced within the project’s framework. The second session was addressed exclusively to the project partners and served as the third in-person meeting of the coordination committee. Specific topics discussed included the processes of the Roadshows and local Symposia, organizational matters for the project’s final meeting in Arles, France, communication actions, the project’s participation in the Natural Heritage Mission event in Athens in early July 2025, and final actions for project completion during the last semester.
Both days were open to online participation for those interested in attending the presentations and engaging in discussions and workshops.
In conclusion, the meeting was another substantial step in advancing dialogue among collaborative networks for wetland governance and in drafting the Policy Paper. It also offered an opportunity to explore the methodology, stakeholders, and sustainability of the project’s local Communities of Practice, as well as the challenges and opportunities for local communities and nature conservation through Wetland Contracts.
